And I do find that running fastmaking my lungs beg for air, feeling my heart pounding all the way in my ears, and pushing my legs to their limits is indeed hard. Some days nearly impossible.
But no: Turns out, the hardest thing about running is keeping the easy miles easy.
The irony is not lost on me that, somehow, breathing evenly enough to be able to talk while running, keeping my heartbeat under control, and moving my legs only to the point where they feel comfortable with the effort can be considered a challenge at all. But ever since I started running consistently three years ago (which coincides with my start date at Runner's World and definitely not by coincidence), keeping it slow-all the while knowing I could be running so much faster-makes me feel like I'm not trying hard enough.
Why am I even talking about this, you ask? Some 80 percent of your weekly mileage should be at an easy pace (including your long run), no matter the type of training, because adaptations in the body happen during easy efforts. These miles are aerobic, meaning they help increase capillary densities, which are tiny blood vessels that deliver oxygen and nutrients to muscle cells and, in turn, improve aerobic capacity, the amount of oxygen your body can use while running. Moreover, it teaches your body to use fat for fuel and conserve glycogen (the stored form of glucose that comes from carbohydrates).
This story is from the Fall 2024 edition of Runner's World US.
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This story is from the Fall 2024 edition of Runner's World US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
TO RUN 26.2 IS TO FEEL ALIVE
THE SUN IS rising from the east, and the waves of the Pacific crash below to the west.
LEAVE IT UP TO A PIECE OF PAPER TO TEACH YOU TO RUN EASY
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WHY-AND HOW-YOU SHOULD RUN DOUBLES
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FIND YOUR RUNNING COMMUNITY, ONLINE OR IN PERSON
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FUEL WITH WHAT YOU WANT TO EAT
AS AN ULTRARUNNER, I'm all too familiar with the saying that long-distance running is an \"eating contest with a running component.\"
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I SAT IN the fertility doctor's office white walls, bare wooden desk, opaque window-alone.
THIS IS NOT AN ESCAPE STORY
AT 15, DARLENE STUBBS WALKED AWAY FROM A POLYGAMOUS CULT-THEN DISCOVERED A NEW LIFE AND COMMUNITY THROUGH RUNNING.
RUNNING WITH HANK
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